


The Perfect Gift for Castiel

by Shadow_Of_Castiel



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Gen, Gen Fic, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-17
Updated: 2010-12-17
Packaged: 2017-10-13 17:33:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/139875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow_Of_Castiel/pseuds/Shadow_Of_Castiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean wants to find the perfect gift for Castiel and eventually finds one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Perfect Gift for Castiel

**Author's Note:**

> written for the spn_cues 25 Days of Christmas challenge || Day 16 || prompt: Shopping for the perfect gift

Dean strode through snowy streets, snowflakes settling and glimmering in his short hair, hands pushed deep within his pockets to avoid the cold. He pulled the scarf closer around his chin, shrugging further into his jacket to gain more warmth, silently thinking Sam for an early Christmas gift of scarf and gloves. The elder Winchester had gotten demon blood on his own scarf, rendering the woollen item all but useless, with large burnt holes adorning its previously unmarked soft surface.

Dean couldn’t help the thought that he was glad Sam hadn’t had the audacity nor the foresight to buy a pink scarf and glove set as he’d once threatened. Dean knew as well as Sam did that the elder Winchester would have to honor his earlier threat of punching Sam clear into the following week if he dared buy him anything pink and fluffy.

Dean smiled at the thought, before he stared into yet another shop window before him. He squinted into the brightly lit display, past glaring, twinkling fairy lights, as his eyes skimmed over various items on sale for Christmas. He groused when the perfect gift for Castiel didn’t immediately jump out at him. He’d been shopping for about a half hour now with no success at finding anything he deemed suitable.

Dean didn’t know what he ought to get an angel of the Lord for his first ever Christmas present, but one thing he did know was that Castiel, if asked, would predictably say that he either didn’t want anything, or he would say he was more than happy spending time in Dean’s presence. Dean himself, though flattered, wouldn’t have taken that for an answer, preferring Castiel to have his own present, something special that the angel could call his own.

He turned away with a sigh, glancing to his left into the next shop window with a disheartened sigh and huff of disapproval. Clouds of warm breath momentarily fogged before his eyes and when his vision cleared, he paused. He blinked, a small smile slowly spreading over his face as his eyes took in his last hope of ever getting something spectacular for Castiel. His smile broadened into a grin and he strode purposefully into the store, intent on buying what he considered the perfect gift for Castiel.

~~~

Two days later, and it was Christmas Day. They had finally stopped in Pontiac, Illinois, which never failed to give Dean pause, remembering that this was the very town that Jimmy Novak had hailed from, before he’d left his old life behind to become a vessel for an angel. He wondered if Castiel ever thought of Jimmy, and whether Sam even remembered the meaning and importance of where they were. Castiel rarely mentioned his own vessel, and if Sam did remember, he wasn’t remarking upon Jimmy either, which made Dean feel a little sad. He became more determined to make Christmas Day even more special for Castiel, in the hopes that Jimmy at least shared some of the Christmas cheer.

He laid out eggnog and a few scrounged mince pies and turkey burgers, much to Sam’s amusement and many a shake of the younger brother’s head. Sam thankfully remained silent, until Castiel arrived, head tilting curiously at the small show of Christmas cheer upon the motel room’s table. Dean had even had the foresight to light a festive candle and lay out four Christmas crackers for the occasion. Sam had to commend his brother for at least trying.

“Here, Cas, I got you something,” Dean said, handing the angel a medium sized garishly wrapped present .

Castiel gave Dean a curious look, but still took the present anyway, slender hands stroking tentatively across the gift’s surface, making the paper crinkle brightly in the expectant silence. Sam sat back in his seat, long legs ranged in front of him, large hands laced across his lean abdomen curiously. Dean glanced at his brother and winked conspiratorially at him, before returning his gaze to the angel. Castiel was slotting his finger beneath one edge of the paper, easing the sellotape away neatly before he peeled the crinkly paper away.

Inside the package was a leather case, fastened shut with a zipper. Castiel glanced up at Dean with a polite smile and a slow blink, before he unzipped the case curiously. Inside he found a strong brush, a neat but functional comb, a tub of polish and a small bottle of coconut scented shampoo. Castiel looked up at Dean again, looking amused, yet decidedly pleased with his gift.

“Thank you, Dean. I’m not quite sure what to do with these, but thank you,” the angel said, quietly as he stared at Dean intently.

Dean chuffed out a laugh and winked at his brother again. He leant forward and indicated the brush first.

“That’s for brushing your wings with, if they get mussed and the comb’s for the same thing. You know, if you get any kinks in your feathers,” Dean said, to an amused laugh from Sam behind him.

The elder Winchester threw Sam a one fingered salute over his shoulder before continuing.

“That’s polish for polishing your halo. It must get dirty sometimes. The shampoo’s for your wings. I got coconut scented, because I’ve always liked the smell,” Dean said, flushing slightly beneath Castiel’s interested scrutiny.

“I know. Your car always smells of it,” Castiel said.

“It’s a wonder you noticed beneath the smell of burger wrappers and fried chicken,” Sam commented, skilfully ducking the expected thrown boot from Dean’s bed.

“I can smell it,” Castiel repeated, firmly, with a brief frown at Sam for daring to speak ill of his own brother.

The angel still wasn’t used to Sam and Dean’s light banter nor brotherly familiarity but he felt he was beginning to g et a sense of it. Now was not a time for banter, he felt. His discomfort was not lost upon Dean, who squeezed Castiel’s shoulder in gentle support, making the angel stare at him intently.

“Trust you to take Dean’s side,” Sam huffed out, on a tail end of a laugh.

“Course he takes my side. We have a profound bond,” Dean said, turning a wink upon Castiel this time. “Cas said so, don’t you remember?”

The angel chuffed out a rare laugh at that, before he touched the brush gently. He rubbed his fingertips over the stiff bristles, before nodding in satisfaction.

“Took me ages getting you the right gift,” Dean said, as he smiled uncertainly at Castiel. “I wanted something useful, but thoughtful, you know?”

“Thank you, Dean. These are perfect,” Castiel said. “The gift pleases me.”

“Good,” Dean said, with a surprised, but pleased lift of his eyebrows.

Sam shook his head, before standing to retrieve a mince pie from the table, watching in the reflection of the window as Castiel tentatively gave Dean a hug. Sam saw Dean shoot the back of his head a sharp look, before hugging the angel back. Sam hid a smile behind a mouthful of pastry and sticky fruit, before snagging himself a glass of eggnog, pretending he hadn’t seen the little hugs behind him.

~~~

Three days later and Sam walked in upon Dean running the brush through one of Castiel’s outspread wings. The elder Winchester’s face was creased into a frown of concentration as he applied the stiff bristles to waiting feathers diligently. Castiel’s own eyes were closed and the angel was clearly enjoying the experience of having his wings brushed, judging by the contented purring sounds he was making.

Sam thought the scene highly amusing and snapped a picture of the domestic scene on his camera phone before either Dean or Castiel had time to object. The angel, upon seeing the resultant photo, no longer seemed to mind while Dean, after stifling a laugh, refused to speak to Sam for the rest of the day for daring to intrude upon a private moment with his angel. Sam refused to take offense, deciding that it was another ordinary day for the Winchesters and their resident angel after all. He also didn’t delete the photo, deciding it could come in quite handy for emotional blackmail at a later date.

~fini~


End file.
